WATCH: Artist paints Coco Gauff mural in Melbourne, American tennis star reacts to special tribute
Coco Gauff received a special and unique tribute as an Australian muralist dedicated a portrait on the streets of Melbourne to the American tennis superstar. Gauff reacted to the mural painted by Australian artist Tayla Broekman and expressed her desire to see it in person soon.
Broekman specializes in creating portraits of strong women who set an ideal example for others to follow, and she feels that Coco Gauff perfectly fits that idea. Broekman created the mural featuring Gauff in association with Head Tennis, one of the American teenager's sponsors, and it shows a determined on-court look of the 18-year-old.
The artist hailed the World No. 7, calling her courageous, strong, and ambitious, among other compliments, and a woman who has "got plans and ideas."
"My characters tend to be representative of just strong women and I really think Coco fits that narrative," Broekman said of Gauff. "I would describe this character as fun, imaginative, courageous, strong and ambitious, and I think that, you know, she‘s got plans, she's got ideas."
Gauff was touched by the tribute, thanking Head and Broekman for the very "cool" tribute and said that she could not wait to visit the venue where the mural was painted.
"Thank you @headtennis_official and @tayla.art this is so cool! I can't wait to see it in person!" Coco Gauff wrote on Instagram.
The doubles World No. 4 is still in Melbourne as she is set to compete in the 2023 Australian Open women's doubles quarterfinals on Wednesday, alongside good friend and doubles partner Jessica Pegula. Gauff might have the opportunity to see the special mural dedicated to her in person before she leaves Melbourne.
Despite early exit in singles, Coco Gauff has a lot at stake in Australian Open doubles event
Coco Gauff brushed aside the disappointment of her 2023 Australian Open singles fourth-round loss to Jelena Ostapenko by reaching the quarterfinals of the women's doubles event. Gauff will return to the World No. 1 spot in doubles if she and Pegula, who are seeded second, manage to win the doubles title this weekend. Defending champions and top seeds Barbora Krejcikova and Katerina Siniakova are also alive in the draw and a clash in the final between the top two seeds is on the cards.
Siniakova currently holds the No. 1 spot in the WTA doubles rankings but has a lot of points to defend as she and Krejcikova are the defending champions.
Gauff is also set to earn points in the singles rankings, improving on her first-round exit at last year's Australian Open with a run to the last-16 this year.